Capestrano – Castello Piccolomini

Capestrano is a characteristic and uncontaminated medieval village located at the gates of the southern slope of the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park, within the Valle del Tirino, where the river of the same name flows, one of the clearest river in Europe.

Set at an altitude of 465 meters above sea level, its central nucleus develops around the splendid Castello Piccolomini, located in the highest part of the town.

And it is of this wonderful territory that artists from all over the world falls in love with . Many of them have already found home in Capestrano: Elizabeth Tomasetti, a New York designer who lives, during the summer, the long house near the Presciano water source, Simonetta Caruso, photographer and copywriter from L’Aquila who restructures Casa Fisolare, a holiday house that welcomes those who have a passion for nature, peace and tranquility. Finally, a Milanese restorer, Gianluca Fratantonio, who works in the field of the enhancement of the historical and artistic heritage both in Italy and abroad and for ten years has been in love with these places of saints and warriors.

His is the idea of re-evaluating the culture of the earth, as a fundamental component of cultural heritage, restoring the dignity and value it deserves from which the Strano Film Festival project is born. Those artists together founded the Cultural Association Maks, which organizes the event, bringing to Capestrano, at the end of August, the many directors participating in the film competition.

A festival that has as its theme the earth and whose goal is to unite people who in these territories has remained, who, from these territories has left and who, in these territories, has chosen to return to live. Strano Film festival wants to celebrate the earth so that it is no longer exploited and mistreated.

A festival that tries, with lightness, to give visibility to the problem in order to attract every year a growing number of people.

Every year the festival features the Castello di Capestrano, where the films in competition are shown at nightfall.

The small squares, which open the view on the splendid Valle del Tirino and the Gran Sasso National Park, are home to interviews and presentations before the screenings. They are also the places to be discovered through a journey that surprises, creating unexpected relationships between the village and the surrounding area. You can take walks through the palaces, churches and streets of the old town; but also the cellars and farms remain open to festival-goers for tours and / or guided tastings.

You can take accompanied excursions by canoe on the Tirino river; guided tours in the fields and in the valley to meet farmers and artisans; excursions to discover rare plants in collaboration with the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park Authority.
The earth is the protagonist of the festival and its valorisation and knowledge are promoted together with the films shown during the evenings.

From 23rd to 26th Agosto 2018 – Visit the website www.stranofilmfestival.com

Note: Please note that it is possible to live guided experiences in  Capestrano with  Francesco by contacting him directly via abruzzolink.com